Steelers vs. Jaguars pits Hanover-area's Pat Flaherty, John Norwig against each other

They would grab rides home together while beginning their football careers at Penn State.

Pat Flaherty went to Delone Catholic in McSherrystown.

John Norwig grew up a few miles away and attended South Western.

Penn State was a proving ground for both. As Flaherty was learning to coach the offensive line under Dick Anderson, Norwig was breaking into the athletic training profession. Both were a part of Penn State's first national title team in 1982.

Since, they've become two of the NFL's best at what they do.

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On Sunday, they'll cross paths yet again when the Jacksonville Jaguars visit Pittsburgh in the divisional round of the playoffs. Earlier this year the Jaguars crushed Norwig's Steelers — led by a dominating run game behind Flaherty's offensive line.

Leonard Fournette gashed Pittsburgh for 181 yards, 90 coming on one clinching touchdown run.

Now, the Jaguars return to Pittsburgh as the underdog once more.

Flaherty has been coaching for 37 years, starting at his alma mater East Stroudsburg. Most of it has been working with offensive lines, including a dozen years with the New York Giants.

He's won two Super Bowl rings.

And he figures to get a few minutes to chat up Norwig before Sunday's game.

Norwig's been with the Steelers for 27 years. He's been named the NFL's top trainer and was inducted into the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Hall of Fame a couple of years ago. 

He's also won two Super Bowl rings.

Both have already grinded through more than 20 games this season, from summer   through winter. They say the drive to do their work still has not changed.

"I think it's because the juice you have in your veins. If I don't get goosebumps on game day, its about time (to retire). But I still do," Flaherty said.

"Where I'm at now in my career I probably appreciate it more because I've been there, and I know how hard it is now doing it."

Norwig has been an anchor to one of the NFL's most stable foundations. He's the team's rehabilitator and the gatekeeper, the one in charge of helping the injured, like NFL-leading receiver Antonio Brown, return to action in proper time.

Only two members of the Steelers' organization have been there longer. 

"What makes it special is that you're dealing with people who genuinely care about their employees, who treat people fairly," Norwig said. "I think it is a special place. In this city if you work for the Steelers, people think that's a big deal."

Football life has been more winding for Flaherty. He left the Giants to coach the San Francisco 49ers offensive line for a year before moving to Jacksonville. He's also coached for the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins and for several years in college.

Flaherty's son, Shawn, just finished his first season as an offensive line graduate assistant at N.C. State.

Norwig and Pat Flaherty still credit their work ethic and love for the game to growing up on the edge of York and Adams counties. Their big career breaks came at Penn State.

Flaherty returns home each summer to host a football clinic at Delone. He still considers Anderson, who he coached under at Penn State and Rutgers, a mentor.

Norwig has worked closely for years with Steelers' head physician Jim Bradley, a former Nittany Lion co-captain and older brother of former defensive coordinator Tom Bradley. 

He's also good friends with Tim Bream, the Nittany Lions' current athletic trainer.

Both of Norwig's sons attend Penn State.